sexta-feira, fevereiro 26, 2010

What began as an occupation of Durant Hall to raise support for next Thursday's statewide protest evolved into a riot involving 200 people, burning trash cans and leaving at least one broken window near the south side of UC Berkeley early Friday morning.

About 15 people occupied the hall starting around 11:15 p.m, according to Callie Maidhof, a student organizer and UC Berkeley graduate student. People appeared to be moving in and out of the building; some were on the roof.

Around 1:30 a.m., people appeared to be leaving the hall and marching to Upper Sproul Plaza. Protesters marched onto the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft Way, throwing over trash cans. One individual broke the window to Subway.

Police in riot gear and at least six police vehicles responded to the scene.

Police appear to have formed a line across Telegraph Ave. at Durant Ave. Protesters are dancing in the middle of Telegraph Ave. near Durant Ave., and appear to be moving closer to the police line at around 1:50 a.m.

At 1:55 a.m., a dumpster appeared to be on fire in the middle of Telegraph Ave. An individual pushed the dumpster on its side as people appear to be dancing around and on top of it.

At about 2 a.m., Berkeley Fire Department responded to the scene. Another individual, who said he was undercover security at Blake's, appeared to be attempting to put out the fire.

BFD extinguished the fire.

At about 2:05 a.m., a fight appeared to have broken out in the middle of Telegraph Ave. and Durant Ave. Berkeley police responded to the scene, pushing people away south on Telegraph Ave.

Police appeared to be using batons to disperse people. Protesters appeared to be throwing what appeared to be trash and buckets at police officers.

Police appeared to be using batons to push protesters southbound on Telegraph Ave. away from campus.

At 2:10 a.m., protesters appeared to have formed a line across Telegraph Ave. in the Durant Ave. intersection chanting "whose street, our street." Police appeared to have formed a line opposite the protesters near Bank of America.

At around 2:15 a.m., both the UCPD and BPD line and protesters appeared to be pushing each other near the intersection of Durant Ave. and Telegraph Ave. Protesters appeared to be throwing glass objects at the police.

At about 2:25 a.m., protesters appeared to be throwing glass jugs of wine at the police. At least one individual was reportedly arrested, but police could not be reached to confirm.

At about 2:45 a.m., the crowd of protesters appeared to be moving up Durant Ave. towards Piedmont Ave. turning over trash cans, throwing news stands into the middle of the road, banging against windows, dragging police barricades, riding on top of cars and dancing.

At about 2:50 a.m., protesters lit approximately the sixth trash can on fire.

At about 2:55 a.m., protesters had halted at the intersection of College Ave. and Durant Ave. Some individuals pushed dumpsters onto the street and pushed them down Durant Ave. towards Telegraph Ave.

At about 3:05 a.m., about five police cars blocked off the intersection at College Ave. and Durant Ave. Several protesters appeared to be marching down College Ave.

About four police cars appeared to be driving eastbound on Channing Way. BART Police also appeared to have responded to the scene.

After protesters propelled dumpsters at the police, police appeared to have cleared the scene.

Maidhof said the occupation was not planned. "But if you get all the people here, what they decide to do is what matters; it is not whoever may or may not have planned it, that is irrelevant at a certain point," she said. Maidhof said occupiers are attempting to rebuild the energy from last semester.

About 100 people had gathered in total, dancing and talking, outside the hall. Maidhof said the occupiers were originally at a dance party on Upper Sproul Plaza, which began at 10 p.m.